Android: Text to speech is a great thing, especially when you're working or driving, but odds are you'd be okay with SMS messages or emails being spoken aloud while you drive as opposed to new app updates from Google Play. SpeakMe gives you that level of control. It does two things: takes incoming notifications and speaks them aloud, and gives you complete control over which apps can speak and which ones stay quiet, vibrate, or ring.

SpeakMe is free at Google Play, and once installed the first thing you do is select the apps that SpeakMe will read aloud. You can tell SpeakMe to read the contents of the notification aloud, or just read the name of the app, so everyone in your carpool doesn't hear the SMS from your boss, for example. If you want some peace and quiet, you can disable the app with a single tap and start it up again later, or silence it mid-speech by shaking your phone. If you like going hands-free but hate missing what's happening on your phone, SpeakMe can fill you in.